Shadowing Practice: I spent a day talking to myself — It Really Helped My English | A Simple Way to Improve English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Welcome to English Daily Channel.
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Welcome to English Daily Channel.
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OK. I'm going to be honest with you.
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My name is Emma.
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I work as a nurse.
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Today, I spent the whole day alone.
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And I talked to myself a lot.
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Like, a lot.
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Is that weird?
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Maybe. But everyone does it, right?
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Right? Okay, let me tell you about my day.
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It's Saturday, my day off, finally.
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Days off are precious, very precious.
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And today, it's raining outside.
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Perfect day to stay in.
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Perfect. If you like practicing English, just read with me.
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Just listen and repeat.
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Let's do this together.
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What time is it?
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9.30? Okay, not bad.
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Should I get up?
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No, five more minutes.
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Emma, come on, get up.
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Fine. Fine.
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I'm getting up.
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My back hurts.
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Long week at the hospital.
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Very long week.
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Okay. I'm up.
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I'm awake. Kind of.
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Let me walk to the window.
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Ooh, it's really raining.
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Heavy rain.
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Yeah, I'm definitely staying inside today.
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Coffee. I need coffee.
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Now, where are my slippers?
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Where did I put them?
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Slippers, slippers.
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Oh, there you are, under the bed.
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Of course. Good.
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Now, coffee time.
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Okay, I'm in the kitchen now.
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What do I want for breakfast?
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Toast? Boring.
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Eggs? Too much effort.
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I'm tired. Let me check the fridge.
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Hmm. Yogurt and fruit.
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Yeah, that's easy.
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Let's do that.
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Wait, where's the yogurt?
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I just bought it.
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Did I eat it already?
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Let me look.
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Oh, there it is, behind the milk.
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Emma, you need to organize this fridge.
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I'll do it later.
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Okay, let me wash this fruit.
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The blueberries look good.
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And strawberries, yes.
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Now I need to cut these.
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Careful. Careful.
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Don't cut yourself.
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At work, I use scalpels.
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But at home, I'm scared of a fruit knife.
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Nice. Look at that.
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Perfect slices.
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Good job, Emma.
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I'm talking to myself again.
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This is actually really good.
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See? You don't need a fancy breakfast.
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Simple is good.
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Simple is perfect.
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Let me look outside.
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Still raining.
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Yeah, I'm not going anywhere today.
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Okay, I'm looking around.
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This place is a mess.
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I should clean up.
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Should I? Yes, yes, I should.
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I've been working all week.
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No time to clean.
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Let's start with the couch.
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Why are there so many clothes here?
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Emma, You have a closet.
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Use it. Let me take these to the bedroom.
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There, better.
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Now, these books.
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Where do these go?
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I don't remember.
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Let me check the shelf.
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Ugh, the shelf is full.
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Medical journals, nursing textbooks, novels.
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Everything is mixed up.
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Okay, I'll just put them here for now on the table.
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Good enough.
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Oh, no. This coffee mug from yesterday.
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I forgot about it.
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Sorry, mug.
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Let me take you to the kitchen.
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Let me step back and look.
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Hmm. It's not perfect, but it's better.
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I'll take it.
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You know what?
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I deserve a break.
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I'm sitting down.
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Just five minutes.
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The rain sounds nice, actually.
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Relaxing. I'm closing my eyes for a moment.
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Okay, I'm awake now.
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What should I do?
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I need milk.
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And bread. I should go to the store.
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Let me look at the window.
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But it's still raining.
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It's not that bad, though.
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But I'm so comfortable here.
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And I'm still in my pajamas.
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Okay, let me think.
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Pros and cons.
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Go to the store.
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I need milk.
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I need bread.
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Fresh air. Stay inside.
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Warm. Dry. Cozy.
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No effort. I'm staying inside.
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Wait, no. I really need milk for tomorrow's coffee.
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I need coffee.
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Okay, I'm going.
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I'm doing it.
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Let me get dressed.
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I'm walking to the bedroom.
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Jeans, sweater.
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Where's my raincoat?
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Let me check the closet.
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Raincoat, raincoat.
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Got it. Okay, now I'm putting on my shoes and my boots.
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Rain boots.
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Where are my keys and my wallet?
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Keys, keys.
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Come on, where are you?
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Let me check the kitchen counter.
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Got them. OK, I'm ready.
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Wait, umbrella.
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I need my umbrella.
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It's by the door?
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Got it. OK, I'm at the door now.
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Hand on the doorknob.
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Do I really want to go?
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I can hear the rain.
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It's really raining out there.
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Emma, just go.
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You need milk.
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Fine. I'm opening the door.
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I'm going. Oh, it's cold.
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Okay, let's make this quick.
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Okay, I'm here.
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I'm wet, but I'm here.
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Let me walk through the aisles.
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Milk first.
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Where's the milk?
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Ah, here we go.
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Milk section.
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Whole milk or low-fat?
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Whole milk.
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I deserve it.
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I'm putting it in the basket.
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Done. Bread.
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I need bread.
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Walking to the bread section now.
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So many options.
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White bread, whole wheat, multigrain.
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Let me pick up this whole wheat one.
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This one is healthy.
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But wait, let me look at the white bread.
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This one is softer.
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Which one do I want?
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I'm looking at both now.
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Why is this so hard?
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It's just bread, Emma.
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Just pick one.
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Okay, I'm putting the whole wheat in the basket.
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Healthy choice.
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Good. But I really like white bread.
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You know what?
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Let me put this back.
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and take the white bread instead.
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I work hard.
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I can have soft bread.
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White bread it is.
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Done. Final decision.
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Now I'm walking to the checkout.
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Wait. Do I need anything else?
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Let me look around.
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Coffee? No, I have coffee.
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Eggs? Maybe.
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Let me go to the eggs section.
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Do I need eggs?
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I'm thinking.
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I have three eggs at home?
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Or four? I can't remember.
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You know what?
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I'll just get them.
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I'm picking them up now.
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Better to have extra safety stock.
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Like at the hospital, always have backup supplies.
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Okay, I'm walking back to checkout.
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Milk, bread, eggs.
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That's it. I'm done.
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I'm standing in line now.
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Short line.
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Good. I should come shopping when it rains more often.
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No crowds. Nice.
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Hi. How are you today?
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Hi. I'm good, thanks.
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Wet, but good.
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Yeah, the rain is crazy today.
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I know, right?
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But I needed milk.
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That'll be $12.50.
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Here you go.
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Thank you. Stay dry.
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Thanks. You too.
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OK, I'm walking out now.
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Back home, quick.
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Let me open my umbrella.
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Let's go. Let's go.
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Finally, I'm back.
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Let me take off this wet raincoat.
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Ugh, I'm soaked.
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I'm hanging it up, but I got the milk.
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Mission accomplished.
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Now I'm unpacking the groceries.
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Milk in the fridge, bread here, eggs here.
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I'm closing the fridge.
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Perfect. Let me check the mirror.
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My hair is a mess.
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I look like a wet cat.
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But you know what?
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I did it. I went out in the rain.
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Let me change into dry clothes.
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Much better.
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Dry and warm.
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This is nice.
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I'm looking at the clock.
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6 p.m. already?
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Wow. Time for dinner.
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What do I want?
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I don't want to cook.
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Well, I reheated things.
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Takeout? Yeah, takeout it is.
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Hmm, what should I order?
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Pizza? Chinese?
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Thai? Let me scroll on my phone.
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Pizza. Definitely pizza.
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I'm ordering now.
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Done! Pizza's coming in 30 minutes.
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I'm sitting on the couch.
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You know what?
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Today was a good day.
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I cleaned. I went outside.
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In the rain!
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And I'm getting pizza.
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Not bad, Emma.
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Not bad at all.
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I didn't do anything exciting.
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But sometimes a quiet day is exactly what you need.
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After a long week at the hospital, this is perfect.
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Let me look out the window.
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It's still raining, but I'm inside.
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Warm, dry, comfortable.
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Yeah, this is good.
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I'm stretching.
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Okay, I'm in bed now.
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It's dark. I can hear the rain outside.
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Time to sleep.
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Let me get comfortable.
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My bed feels extra cozy tonight.
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Maybe because I was out in the rain.
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Today I talked to myself.
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A lot. Is that weird?
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Maybe. But you know what?
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It's okay. Sometimes you're your own best company.
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Sometimes you need to hear your own voice.
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To encourage yourself.
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To make decisions.
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To say good job when no one else is there.
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Living alone means you talk to yourself sometimes.
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And that's normal.
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That's fine.
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Tomorrow, I'm back at the hospital.
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Back to work.
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Back to the busy schedule.
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But today, today was mine.
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Okay, Emma.
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Good night.
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Sleep well.
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You earned it.
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I'm settling in now.
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Tomorrow is a new day.
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But right now, just sleep.
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Good night.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with your own speech can be a surprisingly effective way to improve your English. In the video, Emma shares a day spent talking to herself, providing a natural speaking context that mirrors everyday life. This immersive method, often referred to as shadowspeak, allows learners to practice spontaneous dialogue in a low-pressure environment. By replicating her thought process out loud, you not only boost your speaking fluency but also gain confidence in using English for daily tasks.

Talking to oneself may seem odd, but it’s an opportunity to articulate thoughts without judgment, enhancing both vocabulary and natural expression. For those wanting to improve English pronunciation, this self-dialogue can be particularly beneficial, as it encourages learners to focus on clarity and tone while speaking.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In Emma’s casual narration, several important grammar structures and expressions emerge that are valuable for learners:

  • Questions for self-reflection: "What time is it?" This type of question engages listeners to think alongside the speaker.
  • Use of modal verbs: "Should I get up?" Modal verbs like "should" express advice or suggestion, which is frequently used in conversational English.
  • Informal agreements with oneself: Phrases such as “Fine, I’m getting up” illustrate how to convey reluctant decisions in a natural tone.
  • Descriptive language: Expressions like "heavy rain" and "precious days off" provide rich, vivid imagery that can enhance storytelling.

Integrating these structures into your speech through a shadow speech technique can elevate conversational skills significantly.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Pronunciation is key to being understood. In the video, a few words and phrases may pose challenges:

  • “Coffee” and “kitchen” - Pay attention to the vowel sounds in these words, which can easily be mispronounced.
  • “Yogurt” - The pronunciation can differ widely depending on regional variations, making it essential to practice both forms.
  • “Slippers” - This word requires emphasis on the first syllable; practicing it in the context can help reinforce proper pronunciation.

Using a shadowing app can further assist in perfecting these words by mimicking the native intonation and rhythm. By focusing on these common traps while practicing with the video, you can enhance both your clarity and naturalness in speaking.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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